I have been looking for a not-too-expensive wooden flute in B natural. It seems most makers ignore or avoid this particular key. Anyone know why? I had asked Casey Burns about it when I ordered my D flute, but he just said no, and wouldn’t discuss it. Seems to be something terrible about a flute in Bnat, but I have no idea what it is.
I have a set of UPs in Bnat, and thought a bit of B flute would compliment it. UPs in B are quite popular. I had quite a search to find a penny whistle in Bnat as well (Susato makes one).
So what’s the deal? What is so terrible about flutes in the key of B?
Every new key for a wooden flute is going to require a new set of reamers to create the correct bore profile, and a new set of calculations for hole sizes and placements. True, this can often be scaled from a nearby key, but there is still R&D effort required.
My guess is that there just isn’t enough demand to justify the effort.
That’s true if the development is new, but there are flutes in other keys. Why has no-one ever developed one in Bnat? Bnat used to be Cnat at one time, and it is surmised that what we have today as a Bnat UP set was once Cnat. Today there are flutes in many keys, including Bb and Cnat, but they always seem to skip around doing Bnat. Seems a bit weird.
Well, concert pitch flutes are in “D”. Bb flutes are useful to play with marching band instruments that are in Bb and F (ditto for F flutes). This pretty much covers all of the pitches that were traditionally available.
Oh, Eb flutes… these are actually D flutes made for high pitch, for millitary bands.
All the links I’ve found for Bryan Byrne so far come up dead or empty. It seems that he worked at Seth Gallagher’s for a while, but Seth is now making his own not-inexpensive flutes. Does anyone have an up-to-date link for Bryan?
bryan byrne isn’t online so you’ll have to call him by phone. brad hurley’s site probably has his contact info. if not, then i have it somewhere and can dig it out for you.
Whistles made in India and Pakistan are often 1 semitone below the marked Key, I have several B Bansri (Mmarked C) I baught for a pitance and with a bit of re-tuning turned into excelant instruments.
Good luck
John S
DJM → syn’s come in B natural
Come to Elora some friday, and I will play one for you… you have to bring the flat set though, so I can ste… er… hear it again!
Oh. Hadn’t heard of them (not a whistle freak). Probably cost more than my Generations. Well, syns you put it that way … maybe when things slow down in the summer. Its a long drive for a Friday night. We’ll see.
Tal, there is very little information here about the characteristics of the bansuri vs. the type of wooden flute used for ITM. Are they exactly the same, or is the bansuri so full of hidden quirks that it becomes a totally different instrument? (read - I don’t need any more complexity in my life).
djm: Cost of Syn: $30 for head, $5 per body, $5 shipping. (Unfortunately, all are in USD) I got everything but a C# from E down to A for $70 total. $40 isn’t bad for a good quality B whistle! But ask Peter Laban about them, because he didn’t really like his… I think I may be a bit biased.
Nico, thanks, but the Susato Bnat whistle is okay for the little that I play whistle. I was looking for a keyless, tunable Bnat flute for under $800 USD.
I probably shouldn’t ask this here, but is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that the Susato whistles require a significant increase in pressure to play the upper hand in the second octave? I find this for both the Susato B and D whistles, but not for Generation or Oak whistles.
Well, syns you put it that way … maybe when things slow down in the summer. Its a long drive for a Friday night. We’ll see. 